^ She has the best spiral sequence and some of the best footwork as well.
But given her jump content this year, can she really compete with Kim? What happened to her lutz? Why does her loop look so labored when it used to be her best jump? I don't know why Frank worked on changing her jump entrance techniques, but I think he might have cost her so many medals. At this point, I'm not even sure she can compete with Flatt.

I'm really upset about Caro having a meltdown. I've always found huge artistic qualities in her skating but her programs were usually boring and didn't nring out her potential. This year herprograms really suite her but it's the year things go wrong technically!

What's even more surprising (to me at least) is that Valentina won with somewhat unattractive make up and costume (IMO). Maybe it was just due to bad photography. Carolina did seem to look better, at least. Interesting that the nationals were held in Brescia. I've been to Brescia before but I never knew that it's an important city for figure skating in Italy.

Thanks for the video. It's really too bad about her jumps because it was really a lovely program otherwise. She does have some real expressiveness in the skating but she has to land those jumps. She has really nice speed on the ice too. I hope the best for her at the European championship.

What's even more surprising (to me at least) is that Valentina won with somewhat unattractive make up and costume (IMO). Maybe it was just due to bad photography. Carolina did seem to look better, at least. Interesting that the nationals were held in Brescia. I've been to Brescia before but I never knew that it's an important city for figure skating in Italy.

Not to take away anything from her, but it was Valentinas Ice club to organize the national campionships. Valentina had the jumps here, not in Merano (Carolina won by 30 points there) and at all the other competitions she has done, her best scorage was lower than Caros best.

Valentina had the jumps here, not in Merano (Carolina won by 30 points there) and at all the other competitions she has done, her best scorage was lower than Caros best.

I was in Merano and I can say that both didn't have a clean SP, but Valentina's fall on the first jump (lutz, if I remember correcly) was very hurting, and I think that this fact may have influenced her skates in the LP. Caro's instead skated very well in the LP, not all clean and perfect, but it was a great performance and here she earned the 30 points. I don't think you can directly compare their results in Merano, why it was a combination of Caro's best and Vale's worst competition.
The same for the nats.

Unfortunately, Euro's will be deciding and that will put a lot of extra pressure on both of them, so that really all can happen...

It should certainly be interesting to see what happens at Europeans... the competition between these 2 reminds me almost of Liashenko and Lavrenchuk of the Ukraine in the 90's - two very strong yet at times quite inconsistent skaters - Liashenko by far at the upper hand but she was beat at home by Yulia more than once... similair battles have gone one at National Championships in Canada as well with the ladies (think about Jennifer Robinson in the 90s...) The stronger overall skater usually does prevail but it is going to take peaking at the right time for Kostner to make her Olympic team... I believe that if she has another bad couple of skates at Europeans and finishes below Marchei, her position may well be in jeopardy, regardless of past results and proven skills. It's sad... but it's competition.